


Regrets

by Leio13



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst, Chrobin - Freeform, M/M, Male!Robin - Freeform, There is Comfort Though, a bad ending, anyway enjoy!, anyway this is Chrobin, birthday gift, boy these tags are confusing, but not too bad hopefully, not really any fluff, what does that even mean?, what is this "- Freeform" thing they added to some of my tags?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 14:51:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11739321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leio13/pseuds/Leio13
Summary: Several years after the fight with Grima, Robin searches for his old friends.





	Regrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BloomingViolets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloomingViolets/gifts).



> Yo, Veon! This is my Chrobin angst gift for you! Thanks for being a great friend and screaming about Fire Emblem with me! I hope one day you can actually play Awakening, but for now, you can have this fic!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> (Also, this is my first fic for this fandom, so...)

Robin woke up on a bare field, the grass brown and shriveled. A few lamentable stumps marked the graves of trees. He surveyed the surrounding area. A faint pillar of smoke swayed in the north, hopefully, a sign of civilization and not carnage.

As Robin trekked across abandoned greenery, he reflected on what had happened. Before he had woke up on that field, he had fought Grima, and before that… He decided not to dwell on those details. It wouldn’t motivate him. Instead, he dug further back into his memories. The last time he had woken up on a field, he wasn’t alone; three sets of eyes watched them. They took him in and protected him. Only for him to… to be Grima, the fell dragon. He shook his head. They hadn’t known that. He hadn’t known either, and what good would it do to mourn over what couldn’t be changed?

Fighting Grima, Robin had been alone as well, but he didn’t start off that way. Where had his friends gone? He so badly desired to find them. He so badly dreaded to find them.

Days having gone by, exhausted and hungry with all his food supplements depleted, Robin arrived at a town. The streets were empty. The windows were dull with cobwebs taking over in the corners. Some of the windows were gone entirely, tiny glass shards sitting where the panes used to be. Doors were carelessly open, some a little, some a lot. It was as if everyone had fled, and no one had bothered to lock their doors. Perhaps they knew there was no returning. Robin continued up the streets, disheartened. Familiar flags still hung, torn. They represented nothing now.

Up ahead, the ruins of a fortress waited. As Robin guessed, this was Ylisstol, or it had been. He approached the castle hesitantly. Would anyone even be there? The thought both encouraged and discouraged him. He wanted them to be there, but he didn’t want to meet them there. He didn’t want to meet them. Not like this. Not after everything he’d put them through.

Should he knock on the door? They might not answer. They might not even be there to possibly answer. Were they anywhere, or were they… no. No. No! Robin gulped and pushed the door open. The grand entryway was dark, and Robin’s stomached twisted around itself. Someone was here… right?

An answer came shortly. Footsteps echoed from a nearby hallway. They got louder but slower. Robin could hear the decrease in energy. He wondered what weary face approached.

It was Chrom. His dull blue eyes sagged from exhaustion. A hint of alertness twinkled in them, but it wasn’t passionate or fierce. He withdrew falchion which he still kept on his side. “Grima…” he growled under his breath.

“No. Robin.” Robin put his hands behind his head and let his tome fall to the floor. His sword remained in its sheath on his side. He imagined that if he touched it, even to just discard it, falchion would be against his neck.

“Robin?” Chrom blinked. He lowered his blade slightly before a firm glare returned to his eyes and his sword was back in position. 

“Chrom, I…” Where was he supposed to begin?

“Is it really you?” Chrom looked him over suspiciously.

“Yeah, it's me. I promise.” Robin sighed, looking at the floor. “Grima is dead.”

“I don’t know if I can believe that.”

“I figured you wouldn’t, but there haven’t been many attacks recently, right? Say, the past few seasons?”

“Just a few bandits here and there. None of Grima’s men…” Chrom frowned in the way he always had when thinking over Robin’s strategies.

“Grima is dead, Chrom.” Robin prayed that Chrom would believe him. Of all the times he had prayed to Naga in the past few years, this was one of his strongest wishes. He needed Chrom to believe him. At least this much.

“But... how?” Chrom lowered his sword halfway.

“I killed him--us. I did it, Chrom.” Robin smiled meekly. Was Chrom happy? Was Chrom impressed? “It took a long time, longer than I would have liked, but I fought free from his control and killed him. This was about three seasons ago, I think. I disappeared after that only to reappear in that same field about a week ago. I had to find you first, Chrom, so I--”

“Why did you come here, Robin?” Chrom finally put falchion away. “Were you hoping for a thank you? A congratulations?” Robin could taste the bitterness in Chrom’s voice. “There’s nothing here. Nothing for you. Nothing for me. Nothing for nobody.”

“I wasn’t expecting a thank you, Chrom. I wanted--”

“Then, why are you here?” Chrom snapped. His voice boomed in the empty hall.

Robin jumped back slightly, the hair on the back of his neck pricking and his eyes stinging. Chrom might have believed him, but that wasn’t enough. He hadn’t done enough. Not soon enough anyway. “I just wanted…” To apologize? What was the point? Chrom wouldn’t accept it. “...to see you and Lissa and everyone--”

“Yeah, well, Lissa’s--”

“I’ve seen enough.” Robin blurted. “I’ll be leaving now.” He scooped his book off the dusty floor and scurried for the door. “It was nice seeing you, Chrom. I’m glad you’re safe.”

Outside, rain tapped on his hood. Grey clouds hovered above, and Robin wondered if the scenery could any more depressing than it was at that moment. Maybe if it thundered. Maybe if lightning struck him. Though maybe things would be better that way. 

Grima was gone. Robin’s existence was no longer a threat to the world or anyone. There was no need for him to die, but he almost wished for death anyway. He should have died with Grima, so why was he still here? There was nothing for him here. He laughed bitingly. Chrom was right. There was no point. No point to anything at all.

Robin crept into a nearby tavern. It was cold and empty. No one had been there in a long time except for spiders and rats. Those didn’t bother Robin though. He set the fireplace ablaze and sat at the closest table to it. Resting his head on his arms, he closed his eyes. When was the last time he had slept easy and well? It wouldn’t be this time, but any sleep was better than none. Maybe he’d wake up back in that field, everything having been a dream.

…

“Come on, Robin! Fight bac--”

“YAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” A shrill scream rung in Robin’s ears.

“Lissa!” Chrom shouted. “Come on, Robin! Come on! Lissa, hang in there!”

Robin’s own voiced chuckled lowly. “Pathetic, isn’t it? You’re no better than them either. Neither you nor them can defeat me.”

“N-No…” His voice whispered back.

“R-Robin… please come back… please!” Lissa called out. Her words were soft and barely audible. “I’m going to fight… extra hard for both of us… until you come back…”

“Lissa, no. You can’t fight anymore.”

“But Chrom… Robin is still fighting… there… therefore… I’m going…”

Robin couldn’t hear her anymore.

Another scream.

“It's Sumia!” Sully shouted. “She’s…” dead “...gone.”

Sumia was dead. Lissa was dying. And Robin couldn’t do a thing. Robin had failed them.

His voice laughed again. “See, Robin? Friends have no benefits. They only bring pa...”

…

“Robin?” It was Chrom’s voice, his usual gentle tone that Robin liked best.

“Hnng… Chrom…” Robin looked up and let his groggy eyes adjust to sight before him. Chrom was standing behind him with a small frown.

“Why are you sleeping...” Chrom looked around, “uh, here?”

“Where should I be sleeping?” Chrom’s words from the other day echoed in his head. “There's nowhere for me to go. I don’t belong anywhere, Chrom.” He could feel water building under his eyes as much as it irritated him. Now wasn’t the time for crying.

Chrom laughed hollowly. “Don’t be stupid. You’re a shepherd.” He offered his hand out to Robin. “Come on.”

Robin hesitantly took it. “Thank you, Chrom.”

Outside the fortress doors, Robin tried to slip away. Guilt burned in the areas Chrom touched.

“What's the matter?” Chrom’s steel grip wouldn’t let go.

“Are you sure about this, Chrom?”

“Sure about what?”

“Letting me come back… I thought you hated me…”

Chrom smiled, a face Robin missed dearly. “You know, Robin, I used to think real fondly of you. You were probably the best thing that happened to me and all of Ylisse.”

“Wh-What?” Robin hoped he wasn’t blushing as obviously as he thought he was.

“I--uh, don’t interrupt! Save your questions for later, er, preferably never…” Chrom turned away. Even still, his hand remained wrapped firmly around Robin’s. “You’re really smart, Robin, but you’re not perfect. Neither am I. This whole time you’ve been gone, I’ve been putting all the blame on you. Since our fight with Grima, I’ve hated you. It was easier on me if everything was your fault. But that isn’t right. This isn’t just your fault. I can’t blame you for everything that happened that day and the following year. I can’t continue blaming you for things that you aren’t wholly responsible for. Especially not now that you’re basically sleeping on my front doorstep.”

“Er… my bad. I’ll, uh, pick a farther destination for my naps next time.”

“Don’t worry about it. Anyway, the point is that I want to forgive you and come to terms with the truth of what happened. I can’t do that if I send you away.” Chrom let go of Robin’s hand. “Also, knowing you, you probably blame yourself enough for what happened.”

Robin laughed awkwardly. “Chrom, I’m really sorry abo--”

“Shh. I already told you my decision. I don’t want to blame you anymore.”

“I want to apologize anyway. This guilt will continue to eat away at me if I don’t.” Robin inhaled forcefully. “I’m sorry for letting you down. You and Lissa and everyone were waiting for me to come back, but I never did. I didn’t think I could. You all believed in me, but I didn't believe in me. And because of that,” He glanced at Chrom’s expression. Chrom was still smiling, but it seemed more fragile than it had been before. If Robin continued his thoughts, that smile might just shatter. “I’m really, truly sorry about everything even if you say it's not my fault. I don’t know if I can accept those words, nor do I know if I will ever be able to accept them. For now, I’m only sorry. I’m sorry, Chrom. I really am.”

“I’ll forgive you, Robin.” Chrom took Robin’s hand and led him into the palace. “I’ll forgive you for both of us--no, all of us. I promise.” A few tears slipped down the side of his face.

Robin nodded. “Okay, Chrom.”

…

“Hey, Chrom? Can we go back to being friends?”

“We’re shepherds. Our bonds are stronger than those of friends.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed!
> 
> Once again, happy birthday, Veon! I hope you didn't cry too much!


End file.
